title: Role of capsaicin-sensitive neurons in catecholamine secretion from rat adrenal glands.
abstract: Sensory fibres innervate the adrenal medulla but their function is not known. In the present study, we have used the sensory neurotoxin capsaicin to evaluate the effect of capsaicin sensitive sensory fibres on catecholamine (CA) secretion from isolated perfused rat adrenal glands. CA secretion in response to 1 and 10 min electrical field stimulation of adrenal nerve terminals was significantly attenuated in the adrenal glands of adult rats pretreated as neonates with capsaicin and was frequency dependent, being more pronounced at the higher frequencies of stimulation (5 to 30 Hz) than at the low (0.3, 1 Hz) frequencies. Perfusion of control rat adrenal glands with capsaicin did not evoke CA secretion, but did increase CA secretion in response to perfusion with nicotine. Perfusion with capsaicin for 30 min (but not for 4 min) reduced the CA secretory response to subsequent nerve stimulation. The results suggest that capsaicin sensitive sensory neurons innervating the adrenal medulla are involved in the regulation of adrenal CA secretion evoked by electrical stimulation of adrenal nerve terminals.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: X F
authors.initials: XF
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: P D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Marley
authors.forename: B G
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: Livett
mesh_terms: D000311:Adrenal Glands / Q000187:drug effects / Q000294:innervation / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn / Q000502:physiology; D002211:Capsaicin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002395:Catecholamines / Q000378:metabolism*; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D005260:Female; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000187:drug effects; D009475:Neurons, Afferent / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D009538:Nicotine / Q000494:pharmacology; D010477:Perfusion; D011169:Portal Vein / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D011915:Rats, Inbred BUF
chemical_list: D002395:Catecholamines; D009538:Nicotine; D002211:Capsaicin